Monthly Archives: April 2011

” As your pastor, I must report that I fear there may not be any Southern Baptists in Heaven. In Rev 7, John sees a multitude standing before the Lamb that no one could count; therefore, since Southern Baptists can and will count anything that moves and record it as attendance, I have to submit that there may not be any Southern Baptists in Heaven…”

In early 1977, the rock&roll group The Eagles released what is recognized as the greatest recording effort of their career. The album titled “Hotel California” contained a single by the same name and it was a monster hit to say the least. Written in a minor key, it has a somewhat eery feel to it with lyrics that are fittingly dark and mysterious. Some people claim that the lyrics talk about the band selling their souls to the devil for fame and fortune ala Robert Johnson.

As is usually the case, the truth is nowhere near as dark and sinister. The band did indeed have a secret, a big secret. They were known as a Southern California band but actually none of them lived there! Don Felder, then lead guitarist, tells about how they would all drive into LA very early in the morning to avoid being discovered as non-locals whenever they were rehearsing or recording. During these early morning drives, several ideas for songs were hatched.

In too many churches today there is also a big secret being kept. That secret is that God is just and sovereign. He can and will punish wickedness. He will cast everything evil into the lake of fire one day. Everyone whose name is not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be cast into it along with the devil, antiChrist, the false prophet and all demons.

Today, this is a well-kept secret. When is the last time you heard hell, punishment, damnation, justice, or the lake of fire talked about in your church? Believe me, Jesus spoke of these items often. The Bible deals with these sufficiently so that we can know that no metaphor or hyperbole is intended. Hell is real and you do not want to go there.

How can it be avoided? Jesus Christ set aside His position in Heaven temporarily and came to earth via a virgin birth. He lived on earth for 33 years. He ministered, taught, laughed, cried, and lived among friends and enemies. He was crucified by His own choice and by His own design in order to pay the price for the sins of all who would be redeemed. He gave up His life; no one took it from Him. He was buried in a donated tomb. He rose on the third day as He had said he would do. He then visited with His followers for a short while and ascended into Heaven assuming His rightful place at the right hand of the Father and sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers.

I don’t care how much you care until I know how much you know.

You are probably saying, “Huh?” Let me explain. I am sick and beyond sick of hearing limp-wristed Christians apologize for the fact that there is black & white truth called scripture and some of it isn’t pretty.

They say, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I say that it doesn’t matter how much you care unless you know enough to be able to help them find the truth!

Wake up people. You were never told to hold a popularity contest to gain favor with sinners showing them how awesome your tolerance of their wickedness is. You were told to take God’s message of redemption to the world. This message includes sin, hell, penalty, and damnation just as much as it does grace, mercy, love, and peace.

Tell the whole story or you ain’t tellin’ God’s story. God doesn’t need you to spiff up His image in order to make him marketable! God doesn’t need an image consultant and if He did, it wouldn’t be you! Have the courage to face the truth.

Another Addendum:

As I continue to come across Driscoll’s teachings, I see that in some places he states a very traditional interpretation of Acts and of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. At other times he says confusing things about the gifts being fully functional today as they were in Acts. I conclude the difference to be a clumsy method of conversational speech. He seems to employ a very conversational form of speaking. Lacking formality could explain why he seems to contradict himself.

I continue to be somewhat concerned at his sometimes crass and crude manner of speaking when he is preaching but that is another topic. I still see him as claiming to believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as employed by the Apostles continuing to function today which is a clear break from mainstream reformed and dispensational circles. End of Addendum

An editorial from the Truthinator…

Mark Driscoll (aka the cussin’ preacher) has been a star of the young and of the reformed of all ages for years now. He’s hip, relevant, and downright cool if you go for that alternative, grungy look in a preacher. He looks like a 35-year-old who is trying to look like a teenager with the oh-so-predictable t-shirt, blue jeans, and hair that is scrunched up in the front. More importantly than his style preferences is his coarse talk from the pulpit that has raised more than a few eyebrows. Style is not necessarily wrong and Driscoll is certainly not the only style-centric preacher out there; the coarse talk thing is, well, concern-causing shall we say but not today’s topic.

The whole ‘relevant’ thing and coarse talk are topics of discussion for another day but I want to address what Mr. Driscoll believes. Afterall, what he believes should be the reason people flock to him or run away from him, right? I’m sure he’s a nice guy, he loves his family, he wants what is best for his church and so forth. No one is saying he is corrupt or evil. But what does he believe?

I heard him say in an unedited clip exactly what he believes. He distanced himself from Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt, and Rob Bell which is good. He said he has no part in the Emergent Village which is also good. He said he stood with the reformers and called out John Calvin and CH Spurgeon’s names for added emphasis. He said he identifies with John Piper, JI Packer, and others. I do not see eye-to-eye with the reformed perspective people on Revelation or Israel but otherwise they are pretty good on God’s sovereignty and a Christian’s life of faith. No huge problem so far.

My main problem with Driscoll’s beliefs lies in the next tidbit of information he revealed. He said he is fully charismatic and believes all of the Apostolic gifts are fully functional today. Woe, what? You’ve got to be kidding me, Mark. All of the Apostolic gifts are fully functional today? You just alienated yourself from most if not all of the reformers you previously mentioned. I don’t understand how he got to this point of belief and I will continue to look for deeper explanation from him but I have to say beware. Beware of anyone who claims the Apostolic gifts are fully functioning today. This is dangerous ground of incomplete understanding. I can’t say that Driscoll is totally off-base because I haven’t studied him in-depth but I do say there is reason to be concerned. Let’s continue to look for more info about his charistmaticism and continue later.